Photo: Madison (in white hard hat) inspects New York City construction site

President Bush has picked Thomas J. Madison, Jr., a former head of the New York State Dept. of Transportation, as his nominee to lead the Federal Highway Administration. The 42-year-old Madison, whose selection was announced July 15 by the White House, was New York DOT's Commissioner from 2005 until early 2007, under then-Gov. George Pataki [R].

In 2007, Madison joined Spectra Environmental Group Inc., Latham, N.Y., where he is president of its subsurface imaging group. He also has been on the board of the New York State Bridge Authority since 2006.

Madison's FHWA nomination is subject to Senate approval.

At NYSDOT, Madison helped push for a $2.9-billion state transportation bond issue that voters approved in 2005. Before assuming the top NYSDOT position, Madison was assistant secretary to Gov. Pataki for transportation and then deputy secretary. In those posts, Madison was Pataki's principal advisor on transportation, according to his biographical sketch. He also held several other positions with the Pataki administration. From 1997 to 1999 he was Deputy Broome County Executive and chief of staff the the county executive.

In 1991, he was a general foreman with T.J. Madison Construction Co., Binghamton, which is headed by his father. The nominee was graduated in 1988 from the State University of New York at Geneseo, with a B.A. in political science.

James Ray has been FHWA's acting administrator since February, after J. Richard Capka left the agency's top post to become chief operating officer of Dawson & Associates, a Washington, D.C., consulting and lobbying firm.

Two other New Yorkers with ties to Pataki head U.S. Dept. of Transportation units. Joseph H. Boardman, the Federal Railroad Administration chief, was Madison's predecessor as NYSDOT commissioner under Pataki, serving from 1997 to 2005. James S. Simpson, who leads the Federal Highway Administration was a Pataki appointee to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority board.